Life-preserver.



G. HORTY.

LIFE PRESERVER.

APPLICATION 11.31) JUNE 1, 1914.

1,108,177. Patented Au 25, 19141 anon/11oz gi ta/galtjj eoryojio r1 9 zw. 22

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHO., \VASHINGTDN, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE HORTY, OF ELKHART, INDIANA.

LIFE-PRESERVER.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE HORTY, a subject of the King of Hungary, residing at Elkhart, in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in LifePreservers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in life preservers.

An object of the invention is to provide a life preserver that may be easily and quickly attached to thebody of the wearer, and comprising a body harness carrying inflatable bags with a solid neck portion for connection with the harness.

lVith the above general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and then claimed.

In the accompanying drawing which shows the preferred embodiment of my invention, and to which reference is had herein by like characters designating correspond ing parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the life preserver. Fig. 2 is a plan View of a portion of the inner face of the strap at the bag connection, and Fig. 3 is a side elevational View, partly in section, of the strap and bag and taken on line III-III of Fig. 2.

The principal object embodied in the present invention consists of providing a solid neck portion or projection carried by an inflatable bag and adapted to be secured to a strap or body harness with the valve for inflating the bag spaced from the neck portion and in the thinner portion of the bag. Such a construction is believed to increase the length of life of the bag and strap and render the device more eflicient in operation.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, the reference numeral 10 designates a strap of any suitable construction which is adapted to be suitably secured about the wearer at a point adjacent the arm pits and preferably secured at the meeting ends over the chest of the wearer by the usual buckle strap connection 11.

Secured to the strap 10, preferably at the sides thereof as shown in Fig. 1 are the inflatable bags 12. These inflatable bags 12- constitute the buoyant means for holding the person wearing the strap 10, head and shoulders above the Water. The bags 12 are Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 1, 1914.

Patented Aug. 25, 1914. Serial No. 842,145.

preferably made of rubber and are of a suitable thickness as shown in Fig. 3 and projecting from the side of the bag is a solid neck portion 13 preferably circular in cross section, and provided at its outer edge with a lateral flange 14:, preferably rectangular in plan view for purposes to be later described. The bag 12 is further provided with an inflating valve 15 which may be of any suitable construction, such as used in connection with the inner tube of a pneumatic tire or other inflatable cushion.

The rectangular flange 14 carried by the solid neck portion 13 is positioned on the outside of the strap 10 at a suitable point as indicated in Fig. 1 and positioned on the inner face of the strap 10 in alinement with the rectangular flange 14: is the rectangular plate 16, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 and secured to the strap 10 and flange 14 by bolts 17 passing therethrough and held in such position by the fastening nuts 18.

From the above description and showing of the present invention, it will be noted that the usual weakening of the inflatable bag at its point of connection with the strap has been obviated and that the connection in the present instance increases. the strength of the bag at the point of connection by the solid neck extension. By positioning the inflating valve 15 in the thinner part of the bag 12 at a point spaced from the neck connection 13 it is further pointed out that the bag is not weakened at its point of connection.

lVhile the accompanying drawim shows the preferred embodiment of the invention, I do not wish to confine myself to the exact details of construction shown, as various forms, modifications and arrangements of the parts as shown may be had without departing from'the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

hat I claim as new is:-

l. A life preserver comprising a body strap, inflatable bags carried thereby, each of said bags provided with a solid neck extension, a radial flange carried by the outer end of the solid neck extension, a plate positioned on the opposite face of the strap in alinement with the neck flange and fastening means passing through the plate, strap and flange.

2. In a life preserver, a body harness comprising a single strap adapted to be positioned transversely about the body, inflatable bags carried by said strap, each bag and flange and an inflating valve positioned provided with a solid nook extension circuiar in cross section, a flange carried by the outer end of the neck portion rectangular in plan View, a rectangular reinforcing plate positioned at the opposite side of the strap in alinenicnt with the neck flange, fastening means extending through the plate, strap in the bag at a point spaced from the neck. ii) In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE HORTY. \Vitnesses MICHAEL BADA, S'rnvn A011.

Copies of this patent may be ohtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

